After enduring a nightmarish 2023-24 campaign, Cavaliers star guard Darius Garland has revenge on mind this season.

The Houston Rockets continued to prove that they're a real threat this season when they beat the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night, 109-108. Now 29-14, the Rockets have the fourth-best record in the league and are the only team with wins over the Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder-- the best team in each conference with identical 36-7 records.

The Cavaliers stormed back to tie the game at 107 with just seconds remaining and had a chance to tie or win the game on the final possession with the Rockets leading 109-107. Bizarrely, Rockets forward Tari Eason fouled Darius Garland on a 3-point attempt, giving the Cavaliers sharpshooter a chance to tie or win the game at the line.

Before the 2024-25 season started, Darius Garland thought about leaving the Cavaliers following their second-round exit from the playoffs.

Another excellent performance

The Rockets hit two free throws late while the Cavaliers missed two free throws seconds later, allowing Houston to hold off Cleveland .

Amen Thompson had his second career triple-double, Alperin Sengun and Jeff Green scored 26 points apiece and the Houston Rockets beat the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers 135-131 on Saturday night.

The Houston Rockets (29-14) are going for a second straight upset win over the NBA’s No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers (36-8) on Saturday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse to wrap up the season series. The Rockets won 109-108 against the shorthanded Cavs on Wednesday in Houston despite committing 22 turnovers,

With the Cavaliers down two points, Darius Garland, their potential All-Star guard and 90 percent free-throw shooter, sat alone at the line with the chance to give Cleveland the lead. Even if he failed to make all three free throws, Cleveland, via a Flagrant One on the Rockets, would have the ball with a chance to seal the game.

Alperen Sengun made two free throws with 4.5 seconds left and Darius Garland missed two of three free throws after that to allow the Houston Rockets to hold on for a 109-108 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The venue had changed, but the storyline was playing out the same as the Houston Rockets were in danger of coughing up yet another double-figure lead in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers.